


Expect the Unexpected

by Thegracefulwillow



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Gen, One Shot, Original Character(s), Random Encounters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 18:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10314848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thegracefulwillow/pseuds/Thegracefulwillow
Summary: Out of all the people Dean might have met in a bookstore in Hartford, he'd never thought it would be this guy. The universe must hate him so much.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnAllyWorld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnAllyWorld/gifts).



> I had such a hard time with the tags and that says it all, probably. I don't know where I'm going with this or IF I'm going anywhere at all, but here it is. It was fun to write, so that's good.
> 
> Important stuff: a) Not a native speaker, some parts might sound a little wobbly. Sorry. b) I know, weird combination of characters, but if I do go where I might go, I will explain a little more about my thoughts on all this. c) I've never written a GG fanfic. Dunno if that influences this in any way? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Enough of my ramblings -- Enjoy!

Over the past year, Dean had actually grown quite fond of bookstores. Maybe it was still because they reminded him of Rory, her ghost always lingering between the shelves in the corner of his eye. But he also genuinely enjoyed reading, always had (though he wasn't on Rory's level by a long shot) and now, away from Stars Hollow and its judging eyes, he found himself indulging in his hobby a little more.

Every so often, he'd spend his half hour break browsing shelves and turning pages. There was a small independent bookstore close to his apartment that had become his favorite in the area. By now, the employees greeted him by name and didn't frown anymore when he brought a cup of coffee with him. They certainly didn't whisper when he talked to potential girlfriends and no one spread his book choices through all of Hartford (as impressive as that'd be). He wasn't in Stars Hollows and he could read and life was as good as it could get, probably.

A little bell chimed over the door when he opened it. It smelled like it always did, paper and dust and a whiff of coffee. There were almost no other customers browsing through the rows of shelves. Dean sighed contentedly – he preferred a little more peace and quiet – and nodded at Josie who was manning the counter today.  
She'd been chatting avidly with a guy in a leather jacket but she looked up when she noticed him. A grin spread over her face. “Oh, hey Dean!”

Leather jacket turned around at that and Dean froze.

“Forester. Wouldn't've thought I'd meet you here,” Jess Mariano said. He was obviously going for his usual attitude, but couldn't quite hide his surprise.

Dean blinked and completely failed at hiding his surprise. “Um,” he said and almost slapped himself. He was seeing Jess again after all this time and that was all he came up with? “I-I wouldn't have expected you here, either.” Not great, but still better than “um”.

“You know each other?” Josie said eagerly.

“Well, knowing is a little much, I think,” Dean said and shrugged a little awkwardly. 

“What else do you want to call it?” Jess lifted a mocking eyebrow in that absolutely infuriating way of his. “We lived in the same town for a few years, we had mutual acquaintances – still have, I'd call that knowing each other.”

“No, I just meant – we never exactly – we, we weren't close or – friends, I... Forget it.” Dean pushed his shoulders back and stood a little straighter. If he couldn't get out one complete sentence, might as well remind Jess of his physical advantage. Man, was he glad he was still taller.

“Very eloquent,” Jess said. “What're you doing here?”

“Reading,” Dean snapped. “You don't have a domain on books, you know.”

“But he wrote one,” Josie said and they both turned to her. “Wrote a book, I mean. Did you know?” She grinned at Dean. He wasn't quite sure if she wanted to help him or just make her afternoon a little more interesting.

“It's more of a novella,” Jess said. He shrugged, but his posture wasn't quite as relaxed anymore. 

“Guess I should have expected that,” Dean said. “You were always the broody artist-type.” He honestly wasn't sure why he wasn't making fun of Jess for writing a book, but what was there to mock, really? He wrote a book, good for him, and there was no Rory he needed to win back. And although he'd never admit it, writing a book – or novella, whatever – was kind of impressive.

“I wasn't,” Jess protested and he almost sounded insulted.

“Admit it, you kinda were,” Dean said, amused. Forget not making fun of Jess, he just couldn't resist. “You wore your hair in that weird way and you were too cool to talk and you carried a book everywhere.”

“So did Rory,” Jess said. 

“Yeah, but she cared enough about education to make her an academic. You were just... broody.”

“Oh, whatever,” Jess growled. “Believe what you want to.” But still, he looked decidedly uncomfortable talking about his artistic achievement and he seemed to desperately search for a change of subject. “What're you doing here, anyway? 

“Probably what everyone else does in bookstores,” Dean said, sarcasm heavy in his tone. “Y'know, reading, buying books...”

“I meant Hartford,” Jess said with a quite impressive eye roll.

Dean was tempted to just snap at him and leave, because he really didn't want to talk with Jess of all people about his shit show of a life. But his rivalry with Jess had been purely about Rory's affection and she wasn't here and Jess was being civil. And Dean was certain that he wouldn't leave this conversation as the bad guy. Not anymore. “I live here,” he finally said, albeit reluctantly. Not being the bad guy to Jess was hard.

“What happened to Stars Hollow?” Jess lifted an eyebrow. Dean wasn't sure if it was more of a challenging eyebrow lift or simply a questioning one or maybe something else entirely, although he wasn't sure what that'd be, and damn it, three minutes with Jess and he was becoming Lorelai.

He scowled at Jess. “I'm an adult. I can live wherever I want.”

“Huh,” Jess said, which confused Dean immensely. “Wouldn't you want to stay in Stars Hollow?”

Dean couldn't stop the laugh from escaping his mouth. “Uh, no thanks.”

His response seemed to surprise Jess. “Thought you were all about the small town charm.”

This kept getting better – or maybe it kept getting weirder. The semantics were still unclear. “Well, I think I've had enough for a lifetime,” Dean said, surprised at himself for sounding so bitter. He hadn't realized just how much his last months in town had sucked, really. But now that he thought about it... “What're you doing here?” He said, changing the subject as smoothly as he could (which wasn't very smooth, to be honest).

Now Jess seemed uncomfortable again. He tried for bravado but he kept glancing away. “Promoting my book.”

“He offered it to the store so we would sell it,” Josie said, pushing into the conversation once more. She winked at Dean.

Still, he couldn't decide what she was getting out of the situation. Was she maybe flirting with him? He blinked and shook his head slightly to get the thought out of his head. “So, uh, are you going to sell the book?”

She shrugged. “Still thinking about it. The boss comes in later, she has the final say anyway.”

“Convince her, then,” Dean said. “I'd want to buy it, anyway.”

“You're mocking me, Forester?” Jess growled, actually growled, which was weird, but he still managed to pull it of.

Dean smiled innocently. “I can't mock you, I haven't read your book yet.”

“Why aren't you just giving Dean one for free?” Josie asked.

Dean was surprised how he and Jess managed to turn to her simultaneously and stare at her with the same flabbergasted expression.

“Josie, we are not friends,” Dean said.

“Glad we agree on that, Forester,” Jess muttered. “And you're still not getting free stuff.”

Dean nodded. “Seems fair, probably. We all need to earn money.” His own words resonated in his thoughts for a bit and then it hit him. He hastily looked at his watch and groaned. 

Josie threw him a concerned look. “You okay?”

“I have to go, can't be late,” Dean said with a heavy sigh. 

“Go?” Jess repeated.

“I'm on my lunch break,” Dean explained, already turning on his heel. “See you.” 

He left the store hastily, not quite running – it wasn't that late yet. Only a few hours later, when he was replaying the day's events in his head, when the whole absurdity of the situation became clear to him, did he remember the words he'd thrown over his shoulder. He wasn't quite sure whom he'd meant, Josie or Jess, but he was definitely sure that seeing Jess again would be completely absurd and hopefully would never happen.


End file.
